1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparatus and systems for the generation of electricity by the action of wind. More particularly, the present invention relates to windpower generators in which of the arms of the windpower generator have vanes thereon which pivot by action of gravity and wind. Additionally, the present invention relates to windpower generators that have magnetic inductors on the vanes thereof for generating electricity.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98
Wind energy generation is becoming increasingly popular as a means for producing energy. The production of energy from the motion of wind is a safe, clean and efficient power source. As the blades of the wind power generator rotate, they correspondingly rotate the shaft of a turbine so as to produce energy. This energy can be delivered for personal or commercial use. Large wind energy farms are now being built wherein a great deal of wind energy can be obtained in relatively windy areas of the country.
One of the major problems associated with wind energy generators is the action of the drag of the wind on the action of the blade. For example, when one of the blades of a wind energy generator captures the wind, another of the blades actually creates drag which inhibits the free rotation of the blades. As such, it is extremely desirable to minimize the drag on the blade during the rotation of the blades by action of the wind.
In the past, wind energy generators have not utilized the action of gravity so as to effect the minimization of drag on the blades. Since virtually all wind energy generators have the blades mounted to a horizontal shaft and which all of the blades face the wind, it is virtually impossible to minimize the action of drag without a rotation of the blades during the rotation of the shaft. In other words, when the full face of the blade faces the wind, drag will be inherent. However, if it were possible to rotate the blades so that the thin edge of one of the blades faces the wind while another of the blades captures the wind, then drag can be minimized. Unfortunately, such systems for the simultaneously rotation of the individual blades during the rotation of the shaft are exceedingly complex and expensive. As such, it would be desirable to minimize the drag-producing profile of the individual blades during the rotation of the shaft so as to, accordingly, minimize drag.
It is also desirable to maximize the amount of energy that a wind energy generator creates. When there is no wind, wind energy generators do not create energy because there is no wind to rotate the blades of the wind energy generators. When a wind energy generator does rotate, inefficiencies, such as the drag forces discussed above, hinder the ability for the wind energy generator to create energy. Thus, there is a need for a wind energy generator to better counter-balance the inefficiencies that are inherent in such systems.
In the past, various patents have issued relating to shuttered wind energy generators and magnetic inductors. U.S. Pat. No. 5,126,584 describes a wind energy generator that is configured so as to rotate about a vertical shaft. Each vane of the wind energy generator is formed of an outer stationary shutter and a movable inner shutter. The movable inner shutter is capable of pivoting about it longitudinal axis. A control mechanism is provided so as to adjust angular orientation of the movable shaft.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,551,631 teaches a wind energy generating plant that is positioned on a vertical axis. A plurality of shutter assemblies are disposed in a circular orientation around each turbine assembly and are independently operable for causing wind current to be directed thereby for rotating the turbine assemblies. Five wall elements extend outwardly tangential to the periphery defined by the shutter assemblies and intercept the wind current and direct the wind currents toward the shutter assemblies. A control system for the manipulation of shutters relative to the wind conditions is also described.
U.S. Pat. No. 591,775, issued on Oct. 12, 1987, is an early patent describing the use of shutter assemblies for a windmill. The shutter assemblies are arranged about a vertical axis rotation. A mechanism is provided to control the orientation of the blades such that as the windmill rotates, the flat sides of the shutters will be presented to receive the full force of the wind. As they move rearwardly and forwardly, the shutters will gradually turn to present their edges to the wind so as to avoid any reduction in the rotation speed of the windmill. As the blades pass across the rear portions of the windmill into the direction of the wind, the blades will be turned at different angles so as to receive the wind and assist in the rotation of the windmill.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,486,143 and 6,942,454 each describe deflector panels which serve to control the volume of air which bypasses each panel so as to avoid turbulence adjacent the driving vanes of the turbine.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,315,159, issued on May 24, 1994 to Gribnau, discloses a wind turbine for generating electrical energy by use of wind energy. The turbine has a turbine rotor which can be mounted on a mast and is rotatable about a rotor shaft with one or more rotor blades. A generator is equipped with rotor and stator. The generator is a sector machine of the asynchronous type, the stator of which has one or more discrete stator sectors, and the rotor of which is in a continuous, uninterrupted annular form. The rotor is directly coupled to the turbine rotor. The discrete stator sectors extend only opposite of the annular generator rotor. Each discrete stator sector has two stator halves which are fixed on the legs of a U-shaped holder mounted on the mast. Each stator half contains a plate stack with slits for the coil windings. Each individual plate has a single plate which is a circular segment shape. The annular generator rotor passes continuously into the air gap between the two stator halves of each discrete stator sector.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,229,188 issued on Jun. 12, 2007 to Mah, discloses a light generating flashlight system device that utilizes a large centrally located magnet which is mounted to slide past a magnet pickup or current induction wire which may be preferably mounted at a center point of travel in a tubular housing. The tubular housing has a tubular chamber through which the magnet travels. A pair of elastomeric dampers are located at each end of a support system sleeve. The support system sleeve is sized to fit within a main housing so as to stabilize the internal support within a sealed unit.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,984,110, issued on Jan. 10, 2006 to Keun-Suk Jang, discloses a wind power generating apparatus in which windmill blades are mounted in a multi-stage fashion to a rotating shaft while being spaced apart from one another to efficiently generate wind power. Each windmill blade includes blade bodies mounted to the rotating shaft, wind pressure adjusting holes formed in the blade bodies, and wind pressure adjusting plates coupled to each blade body and connected together to a wire. Each wind pressure adjusting plate is slidable along guides respectively arranged at opposite sides of the associated wind pressure adjusting hole so as to adjust an opening degree of the wind pressure adjusting hole. Elastic members are adapted to connect one end of the associated wire to the associated blade body. Winches are adapted to connect the other end of the associated blade body. The winches are mounted to a single shaft to simultaneously wind or unwind all wire.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,960,062, issued on Nov. 1, 2005 to Blank et al., discloses a frost-resistant windmill that provides a supplemental power supply for use preferably in large cities. The frame of the windmill carries hollow blades. The interior of the blades defines a serpentine internal air pathway adapted for introduction of warm air from an external source to prevent freezing when used during winter months. A centrifugal speed adjustment system is provided to reduce rotation speed fluctuations of the load drive shaft when strong wind gusts are encountered. A speed adjustment weight is connected to the drive wheel through a cable such that the position of the drive wheel along the radius of the windmill is defined by an equilibrium between the pull force on the cable and the compression force of the spring urging the drive wheel towards the periphery the windmill.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,857,846, issued on Feb. 22, 2005 to Miller, discloses a stackable, vertical axis windmill that has a braced external frame that enables stacking of multiple windmill assemblies. Couplings are located on both ends of the vertical rotor shaft to enable stacking and the transmission of power. The windmill has an internal wind flow cavity and controlled wind guides. The external frame includes structural bracing that allows for two or more windmills to be stacked one upon another to optimize the use of land or rooftop space for the generation of electricity from wind power. The computer-controlled wind guides automatically close partially in high-wind conditions in order to prevent damage to the windmill. The internal wind flow cavity allows wind to transfer power to both the windward and leeward rotors blades. The rotor axis is constructed so that all bearings can be replaced without dismantling the structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,179,563, issued on Jan. 30, 2001 to Minchey, discloses a wind-powered drive shaft, the rotary force of which can be used for a variety of purposes, such as to drive a hydraulic pump, the crankshaft for a water pump, or an electrical generator. A central shaft is attached to two or more sets of arms extending radially outward from the central shaft. Preferably the sets of arms are arranged in pairs about the central shaft. Each set of arms has two or more arms. Two or more pivot shafts are rotatably attached to each arm in a set of arms. A vane composed of light but strong material is connected to each pivot shaft. Attached to one of every two vertically adjacent arms is a stop. The stop is in such a location that the free end of the vane will contact the stop when the free end makes its closest approach to the central shaft.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,525,037, issued on Jun. 11, 1996 to Cummings, discloses a wind turbine for converting wind energy to useable energy. The turbine has overlapping sail members. The sail members extend radially outward from a vertically disposed shaft in three columns positioned equidistantly around the shaft. The overlapping sail members hang downwardly in a naturally biased, vertical orientation so as to block rotational movement of each other in one direction. This configuration allows the wind to engage with the sail members on one side of the shaft to rotate the shaft. Wind also blows past the sail members on the other side of the shaft. Rotation of the cylinder is thus achieved while wind resistance is greatly minimized, regardless of the wind direction. A generator can be rotatably inter-coupled with the cylinder to thereby convert the kinetic energy of rotation to useable energy. Each sail member is preferably positioned such that a gap resides between the sail member and the shaft, where the gap is at least as wide as the sail member.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,545,729, issued on Oct. 8, 1985 to Storm, discloses a wind turbine apparatus that has sail elements secured to a circular frame rotatable in response to wind reacting with the sail elements. A control system for the sail elements includes a weight having cables extending from the weight to the sail elements. Movement of the weight in response to wind velocity results in a change in the sail elements exposed to the wind.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,534,703, issued on Aug. 13, 1985 to Flavell, discloses a wind power system that has a vertically orientated main shaft. The wind power system further includes first and second horizontally-oriented main frames. The first horizontally-oriented main frame has vanes defining a first set of vanes and an equal number of vanes defining a second set of vanes located diametrically opposite each other about the main shaft. Similarly, the second horizontally-oriented main frame includes a third set and a fourth set of vanes. Preferably, the vanes are flat and rectangular in shape and are pivotable about one of the vertical edges thereof by a shaft that is pivotally mounted to the main frame between a first, wind catching position and a second, wind releasing position. The vanes of the vane sets are maintained in the same relative position to each other.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,191,507, issued on Mar. 4, 1980 to DeBerg, discloses a vertical centrally located frame that has three vertical windmill-vane arrays extending radially outward therefrom. The vane arrays are spaced circumferentially 120 degrees from each other about the rotatable framework. Each vane array includes flat flexible sails rigged one under the other between leading and trailing horizontal arms in the array with an upper leading edge of each sail being directly fastened to a different one of the leading arms. A lower edge of each sail is fastened by flexible cords to a different one of the trailing arms so that when the wind blows in the direction of the leading arm, the sail billows outwardly to turn the framework. When the wind blows in the opposite direction the sails are lifted flat so as to provide low drag. In one embodiment, the arms are cables that are stretched radially from the central vertical framework by other cables so that the entire structure is easily disassembled for shipment.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2005/0141994, published on Jun. 30, 2005 to Jang-sik Joo, discloses a multi-directional wind power generator that has a base frame having a central shaft supported on the ground. The base is disposed around the central shaft so as to define a space of a predetermined radius. A first rotary shaft is rotatably fitted around the central shaft of the base frame. A first upper/lower support frames extend from upper and lower outer peripheries of the first rotary shaft to a predetermined radius. First rotary blades are hinged by their both ends, respectively, on distal ends of the first upper/lower support frames. First anti-pivoting bars are disposed, respectively, at portions of the first upper/lower frames to prevent pivoting of the first rotary blades so that the first rotary blades are oriented parallel with the first upper/lower support frames. A first controller is disposed respectively in the first upper/lower support frames for controlling pivoting of the first rotary blades. A rotation power transmitter is disposed around a lower portion of the central shaft of the base frame for transmitting the rotation power of the first rotary shaft at a rotation rate changed via a gear combination. A generator generates electric power under the rotation power transmitted from the rotation power transmitter.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a windpower generator which produces electrical energy by the action of wind.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a windpower generator which produces electrical energy by magnetic induction.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a windpower generator which minimizes the drag affecting the rotation of the blades.
It is a still another object of the present invention to provide a wind energy generator in which the orientation of the vanes of the wind energy generator are controlled by the action of wind and gravity.
It is a another object of the present invention to provide a wind energy generator which is reliable, cost-effective and energy efficient.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached specification and appended claims.